Ex-PGMOL chief says FIFA must act after Belgium's World Cup equaliser taken 15 yards forward

Belgium were held to a 1-1 draw by Egypt in their World Cup Group G opener at Seattle Stadium on Monday, but former Premier League referee Keith Hackett believes the goal that levelled the match should never have stood — and that FIFA’s referees management will now be compelled to act.

Emam Ashour gave Egypt the lead in the first half, with Mohamed Salah providing the assist. Belgium drew level in the second half through what was eventually confirmed as a Mohamed Hany own goal, with Romelu Lukaku initially credited with the equaliser before a VAR check corrected the attribution.

Hackett, the former PGMOL chief, has since identified a significant officiating error in the build-up to that goal. He contends that the free-kick from which the move developed was taken approximately 15 yards further forward than the position where the original foul was committed — a clear and obvious error that, in his view, should have triggered a VAR intervention and resulted in the goal being disallowed.

“This is a poor piece of officiating, not ensuring that the ball is positioned correctly at the point where the foul took place,” Hackett told Football Insider. “The free-kick was taken from an advanced position approximately 15 yards forward from where the foul took place.”

“This clear and obvious error by the referee should have resulted in the intervention of the VAR. The outcome should have been a disallowed goal, and the restart a free-kick at the position where the original offence took place.”

Hackett added that he expects consequences at the officiating level: “I have no doubt that in reviewing this performance, the FIFA referees management will be giving the referee some appropriate operational advice.”

Both Belgium and Egypt remain in contention in Group G, with two games each still to play before the expanded knockout phase — which includes an additional round of 32 — gets under way. Elsewhere in the group, New Zealand and Iran shared a 2-2 draw in Los Angeles, leaving all four sides with something to play for.